League of Legends, after nearly 12 years since its release, has become a national game, not only in countries with strong esports but almost all over the world. And with the recent MSI 2021 held in Iceland, the game has shown its reach even to small, remote countries everywhere on the globe.
With such widespread popularity, League of Legends also attracts gamers from all backgrounds in society. From casual players, teenagers to older gamers, and even stars from other fields. Notable mentions include goalkeeper Tấn Trường, singer G-Dragon, HeeChul from Super Junior, Jay Chou…
Recently, the list of “hardcore fans” of League of Legends has added the name Simu Liu. The Canadian actor of Chinese descent became known for his role as Shang-Chi – an Asian superhero in Marvel comics. Simu Liu revealed his love for League of Legends on his personal Twitter to commemorate the day he auditioned for the role of Shang-Chi at Comic-Con.
Explaining to outsiders about an esports game is not an easy task, especially for a game with a diverse range of champions, mechanics, and playstyles like League of Legends. However, Simu Liu’s effort to convey knowledge about the game shows that he is quite knowledgeable about it. In fact, though not confirmed by Simu Liu, he may even be a ranked player.
Attempting to explain the game to the famous actress Angelina Jolie could be seen as a subtle contribution to spreading League of Legends more widely, especially among Western stars.
Seeing the post from the actor who plays Shang-Chi, many League of Legends fans couldn’t hide their excitement, and even senior executives at Riot enthusiastically “liked” Simu Liu’s post.
With more and more gamers emerging from celebrity circles and influential figures in the community, League of Legends will continue to grow stronger, not only now but also in the long future.